There was a long running case of a driver who was prosecuted for flashing his headlights to warn others of a speed trap.
He contended no offence had been committed.
Not sure what happened to him - I think he lost in a higher court.
Twenty drivers have been done for doing the same thing
"Wilfully obstruction a police officer in the execution of his duty" appears to be the charge used.
www.lep.co.uk/news/local/drivers-fined-for-flashing-lights-1-4634087
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"Not sure what happened to him - I think he lost in a higher court."
from the DT
"In January last year Michael Thompson, 65, was convicted of obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty after he was caught flashing his headlights at oncoming motorists to warn them of a police speed trap ahead.
The pensioner argued that he was warning drivers for safety reasons as he had been in a crash previously when two drivers in front of him braked sharply after seeing a speed trap.
However, Mr Thompson, of Grimsby, Lincs, was found guilty after a trial at Grimsby Magistrates Court and ordered to pay £440 in fines and costs."
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Sometimes at work, an email is sent out to all staff advising that there is a mobile Police speed trap at such-and-such a place.
It's a warning, just like a motorist flashing their lights to other motorists as the OP describes.
Is the email therefore illegal? If so should I be reporting it to the authorities?
If not, then where do you draw the line between a legal warning and an illegal one?
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I has this debate on FB. I routinely draw the attention of oncoming bikers to Speed Enforcement vans - The upshot was that a very senior traffic cop agreed it was sensible and prudent as the vans were a those locations to enforce speed limits in accident hotspots so warning people to slow actually promoted road safety in an active way.
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...However, Mr Thompson, of Grimsby, Lincs, was found guilty after a trial at Grimsby Magistrates Court and ordered to pay £440 in fines and costs...
He appealed, which would have gone to the crown court.
Some discussion of the appeal here:
www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/Did-flashing-driver-obstruct-police/story-11529325-detail/story.html
As I say, I think he lost in the end, but I've not been able to find a report of the appeal hearing.
Last edited by: Iffy on Thu 14 Jun 12 at 18:48
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Very similar to an event in Scotland 10+ years ago. Fined but appealed and won.
Prosecution could not prove that anyone had slowed down.
My teacher in P7 (1957!), her husband, a Phd Engineer, was fined for waving out the window to tell people of the speed trap - measured distance and stopwatch in those days!
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People over here routinely flash a warning at oncoming traffic if they have spotted any sort of police activity, particularly if you are approaching in a fast-looking car I have found.
Seems sensible to me.
Surely the execution of a police officer's duty is to ensure road safety, rather than simply to be operating a measuring device? So any assistance in that duty ought to be applauded Your Honour.
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If the oncoming driver you have flashed isn`t speeding at that point, how have you impeded the police officer?
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Surely they are assisting a Police officer in their duties?
Failure to do (something like that) is a criminal offence.
The trouble is that folk incriminate themselves with their loose tongues.
If they want to break the law, they should get drunk and break someone's jaw instead, at least they would then get let off with a caution and a free meal to boot.
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...they should get drunk and break someone's jaw instead, at least they would then get let off with a caution and a free meal to boot...
Strange to relate, I've just sat through one of those.
Defendant got 14 months, which is about par in the current climate.
Sentence would have been two years plus not so many years ago.
So he, and his blubbing relatives, should count themselves lucky.
But I don't expect they do.
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Drivers fined for flashing a warning - CGNorwich
